Southampton calls!

We bought some gifts for Mike and Abbie while we were on holiday so it was a great excuse to go and see them and take them their presents. We left at 9.30am, called to get some petrol and had a smooth journey down, punctuated now and again by heavy rainfall.

We arrived at 12pm, had a cuddle with the cats, and then drove to a shopping area nearby where we'd booked a table at a Brewdog  pub. Before we ate, though, we went to a couple of pubs for a drink. First up was Beards and Boards which was a very different place to one we'd usually choose, but had a great choice of beers, with each tap mounted on a skateboard! Sophie and I drank a delicious stout here while the men stuck to IPAs and Abbie had a lager. We chatted about our holiday, and gave Abbie and Mike some tips for their forthcoming trip to Berlin in December, lucky things!

From Beards and Boards, we walked around the corner to another peculiar pub called The Black Phoenix, but the music was terrible and nobody came out to serve us, so we left! Next up was Shenanigans, an Irish sports bar where we were the only customers. The two girls behind the bar struggled to fill mine and Sophie's half pints with Guinness, and the men's beers looked awful. Poor Abbie had to have a bottle of Magner's cider as her choice was off! I think they were having a problem with the gas but in the end, we were settled and it suited Keith as he could watch the football!

By now it was nearing 2pm so we walked the short distance to Brewdog and had a look at the huge choice of beers, lager, stouts and ciders on offer. Mike chose a very strong - 10% - stout that is only served in 1/3 pints, Keith had an IPA, Sophie and Abbie had a lager and I had a delicious milk stout called Jet Black Heart.

We ordered from the menu - a platter of starters to share, followed by burgers and chicken wings with French fries. The food was plentiful and delicious and there was a great atmosphere. Strangely, several people brought in dogs and looking at the website afterwards, I see they do parties for them... Brewdog!

Before taking Mike and Abbie back we called into one of my favourite real ale pubs, The Witch's Bew, and sat for an hour chatting as well as cuddling the landlady's smelly dog, who was incredibly friendly and loved a tummy rub!

I wasn't so envious of the picture on the wall now, as I have one of my own!

Not the big mural, the little one in the left top corner!

It was 5pm before we took Abbie and Mike back and we left straightaway for the trip home. Keith fell asleep as soon as he was in the car and I was glad Sophie was in the front with me! We had another good journey home and Monty was delighted to see us. We'd left him in the conservatory with the door open and plenty of food and water and we all wondered whether he thought we'd left him again!

Supper was a slice of Keith's apple pie with ice cream and a holiday home show featuring Catalonia, and near to where we'd been staying. Ah! Happy memories!